Chicago Mandarin Conversation Meetup Brings Together Speakers of Many Chinese Dialects
Mandarin Mondays, a Chinese language conversation meetup, was held on November 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nine Bar, 216 West Cermak Road in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, with host Lily Wang reserving space for the group. The event is open to Chinese learners and speakers of all levels; participants may converse in Mandarin or other dialects, and dialect stickers are provided on site to help people find language partners. The meetup runs every two weeks, on the first and third Mondays of each month.
Organizers say the gatherings have no tests or thresholds and focus on everyday conversation and mutual help, giving newcomers to Chicago, international students and local residents interested in Chinese a chance to speak and practice. Chinatown and its surroundings have long hosted Chinese-language community activities, and language meetups have become one way the community connects. Organizers advise those interested to check the event page for time and location in advance; seating is first come, first served. They add that steady participation, even an hour at a time, noticeably builds listening and speaking confidence, and friends of all backgrounds are welcome to come together.
(Source: Meetup)
Source: Meetup
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：芝加哥华埠瑟马克路车站一带，聚会地点九号酒吧所在街区。（照片：AlphaBeta135，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons） / Photo: The Cermak-Chinatown station area in Chicago, near the meetup venue Nine Bar. (Photo: AlphaBeta135, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
